cpjlisinski 's review for:

The Inheritors by William Golding
3.0
adventurous challenging tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The premise is fascinating — what kind of existential upheaval must have occurred when the last of a dying race encounters those who will replace him?

But for me, it falls short of fully mining those depths. Much of the thematic weight is undercut by Golding’s insistence on portraying the Neanderthal Lok as a buffoonish ogre, whose glimpses at something bigger, something cosmic, are always punctuated by a sudden evaporation of self-awareness and a return to mindless existence?

Glad I read it; not sure I really enjoyed it.